Saturday night will mark the closing reception of student collaboration, Blank Verse, in Fisher Gallery. Featuring a 10-piece music ensemble, the artistic creations of John Hensel, Travis Johns and Iz Oztat, and your participation, the space will take on its final form. Before Tuesday night’s opening reception, John, Travis and Iz were able to take a few minutes out of their last minute preparation to explain their motivation and hopes for the outcome of the installaion.

KS: So, this is a combined senior project for the three of you. Give us a general idea of what you’re going for in Fisher.

TJ: I guess what we’re going for is a collaborative installation.  I’ve pretty much asked Iz and John to help out.  It was originally my plan to give a senior recital. Outside of music, Iz and John have been my two biggest supports and the most inspired people I’ve worked with. So, we thought it would be great to do something with the three of us, and then we ended up bringing in every element of the community we could think of.

KS: Like what?

IO: We have made invitations, put up posters downtown and personally invited many people, which will bring in our communities.KS: What is the concept behind this? Who came up with it?

TJ: We’ve all kind of worked on mini-concepts. For me, I feel the concept is the process. It’s taking an idea, working with it, and from there spring-boarding to other ideas. It just started with us wanting to work together, and from there it grew.  We were originally toying with concepts of death, mourning rebirth, and from there we spring-boarded onto other things.

KS:  What is the idea behind all of the plaster?

IO:  The idea is to not provide the viewers with a single framework that they can apply. We have gone through so many frameworks, that we can’t really set a single one. It’s more about me being here and trying to find something sacred for me and creating a process that allows me to have the relationships that I have in turkey that are very much through ritual. John, Travis and I have created a support system for each other where we can engage with each other through artwork and allow each other to do whatever we want to do.

KS: You guys are integrating photography, video, electronic art (mostly music), visual art and performance art.  How do you plan to integrate it all into one unified installation?

TJ:  I guess musically. I’ve been writing using the sounds of the process and the sounds of the creation.  I’ve been walking around with a tape recorder since we started working – recording us casting plaster, working with video – and then mixing that into the actual sounds of the music.

KS: So, essentially, the installation will be entirely composed of the process, a demonstration of the process.

IO: Yes, and we’ve brought all the elements of the process in there and we’ll be working with the live sounds also.  John will be working with photography and he’ll keep documenting the space as it grows.

KS: What do you think is most innovative about the project in general?

TJ:  It’s always the simple questions that are the hardest... I think the bond that has developed between us as artists is the most innovative part of it. It’s to the point where the art is almost secondary to the bonds created.

JH:There’s also our intended use of Fisher as more than just a gallery space.  We want to throw some performance in there and make it more of a community space, but within our installation.

IO: There’s lots of negotiation of private and public space, where we’ve brought our private to the public and are asking people to participate in their own ways, which is something that doesn’t always happen at Oberlin and in our lives. You know, how do we engage through artwork and open up areas for it?

KS: Who have you guys been working with on this?

IO: We’ve asked everyone in our lives to bring their work on Tuesday night and live their process, and we’re hoping it will expand throughout the week.KS: So, Saturday you’re having the big...

TJ: Saturday’s the big hoopla, the big celebration. Eight o’clock.

KS: Is there any “umbrella” message that you want to be putting out there with the installation?

TJ:  In my approach, at least, I feel like there are so many messages trying to be conveyed at the same time, that it’s almost like we’re saying everything and nothing.

KS:  So, visitors shouldn’t leave with a specific tune ringing in their heads?

IO: Just come and participateTJ: I’d say it’s just more about community. It’s almost like asserting your own meaning onto the elements.

KS: Iz, you’re using plaster with a lot of inflatables – beach balls, balloons, floaties, etc. What is the significance behind them?

IO:  I just wanted to take toys and play with them differently and draw attention to consumption. I’m trying to put meaning into them and show that everything can be sacred.

KS: How long have you guys been working on this?

TJ: We decided to do this the first week of school...it was like “Hey, how ya doin’, how was your semester, installation? yeah.” Iz and I met last semester in a multi-media class, and John and I have been working together since freshman year, so this is kind of our coup d’etat.

KS: What has been the biggest challenge?  You’re kind of in crunch time right about now.JH:  Getting the printer to work.

TJ:I find I’m easily distracted by every other thing that’s going around here. [laughs] Whether it’s helping with the artwork or...parties...

JH: Buying me candy.

TJ: Buying John candy.

KS: What else do you want to put out there? Enticement for hesitant visitors?

TJ: There will be a poet in the hall, at least on the first night.  We should be doing plaster casting of special objects. The performance on Saturday will be completely live with a 5 piece ensemble. Just come interact and participate with the space and with us.